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In February 2014 the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment (GAIAE) issued a fatwa forbidding devout Muslims from participating as crew members in Mars One's proposed one way mission to Mars. Speaking for the clerical group, Dr Farooq Hamada explained that, "Protecting life against all possible dangers and keeping it safe is an issue agreed upon by all religions and is clearly stipulated in verse 4/29 of the Holy Quran: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful."[1]

Russian Orthodox Christmas was celebrated on the International Space Station, on January 7, 2011.[8] Cosmonauts had the day off, but one of the other crew tweeted, "Merry Christmas to all Russia."[8] The whole crew also celebrated on December 25, two weeks prior.[8]

A microfilm Bible that had been to the surface of the Moon was auctioned off in 2011.[9] It was a King James Version created after three astronauts lost their lives in the Apollo 1 fire.[9]Edward White, one of the astronauts who perished, had wanted to take a Bible to the Moon.[9]